Discovering Beauty in Everyday Life

Is there another thing better than a winding path with a friend and a bench and a lamp waiting?

Closer, Closer, Forward March! Onward, Upward Ho! Well maybe yes and maybe not and maybe I don’t know. The biologist is expert at dissolving life in salines, Yet instead of frogs and fishes we end up with Petri dishes Full of caviar and tuna roe and tattered tadpole tailings! Well that’s what I see anyhow, while looking down at the slide. I know for sure they’re finding a cure but I miss the pond outside. I miss the chance to pull away and take a broader view, The chance to move away from the kill and circle a time or two. I miss the fuzz on the edge of things, the smear and the smudge and the blur. A little unsure, a little unclear, a little demure a little less fear, A sky covered meadow we wandered that year, a picnic lunch in Windermere, A chance to be who we were. Great Lawn from the East, August 2010

Apparently (see comment 1), this happy lady bug is munching on unwanted squash leaf parasites such as aphids and mites.   What a lady!

The Miracle 94th Street Tree Bed Squash have yielded a bumper crop of beautiful and tasty blossoms this summer- shared with neighbors, small children and at least one lady bug.  However, they are not destined to grow actual Summer Squash.  Although we are saddened at the seasonal passing of  these fertile friends, the dedicated and happy Urban Volunteers are protecting those still with us with a rim of double string and bamboo. Furthermore, our mighty Urban Volunteers are improving the life of these lovely plants, and their four month old  Kentucky Coffee Trees, with marigolds and yellow snapdragons.                       the Mighty Urban Volunteers

Times are tough in the Tree Bed garden.  Recently some of the admittedly over ambitious squash plants had to be cut back.  They had overtaken about 12 square feet of sidewalk territory, and dog people were unwilling to respect these new boundaries without a string.  It is not possible to secure the base of a bamboo stick in concrete to support the string.   We are rethinking the Fall Planting Strategy.  Stay tuned. 

Look what we found tonight among the squashes and the kings? Two new Tree Bed tomatoes! New tomato one is close to two inches across; we cannot divulge the exact location New tomato two is Baby, growing deep among the leaves.  Baby is less than an inch across and is under protection by a nearby leaf, since it is a dangerous world out there for a ripening Tree Bed tomato. 

We are delighted to report that a beautiful tomato has reached maturity and remained unharmed on its vine until time to fall into the hands of the patient and undauntable Urban Volunteers. 1. Tomato is carefully washed and admired 2. Tomato undergoes exquisite and fastidious Preparation 3. Tomato is displayed on an ideal and elegant serving something 4. Innocent Guest is lured in by cheery Sunflower 5. Tomato is served with candles and pretty napkins to Urban Volunteer and Innocent Guest .